Gilby Clarke, formerly of Guns N’ Roses: 10 Records That Changed My Life

Feature Photo by Ethan Miller

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1962, Gilby Clarke came of age during an era when the Mid-West was the key to all things rock. From a young age, Clarke dug on bands like Kiss, Led Zeppelin, and ZZ Top, all of which would shape him later.

But Clarke also lived glam rock, with British groups like T. Rex and The Sweet playing critical roles in his development, as did David Bowie, and, of course, the Beatles and the Stones. But it wasn’t until The Clash entered the chat that Clarke’s full sensibilities as a guitarist came to the forefront, and before long, he found himself moving from Ohio to Los Angeles to chase his rock ‘n’ roll dream.

Before long, Clarke joined Candy, a pop-meets-rock outfit, which didn’t last all that long. But no matter, Clarke was on to heavier things with Kill for Thrills, which gave way to a world-beating gig with Guns N’ Roses as the band’s rhythm guitarist beside Slash.

Clarke toured the world in support of Gun N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion I and II and lent his licks to 1993’s The Spaghetti Incident? before recording his solo debut, 1994’s Pawnshop Guitars, and working with his old pal Slash on his debut, 1995’s It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.

Since then, Clarke has kept serving up meat and potato licks via his beloved Gibson/Marshall combo, with his latest record, 2021’s The Gospel Truth, being his best yet. Lately, Clarke has been busy touring, but he set aside a few moments to dig in with ClassicRockHistory.com to serve up the ten albums that changed his life. Are any of the below your favorite, too?

The Slider  –  T. Rex (1972)

When I first heard this record, it was many years after it was released. For me, it was exactly what I was hoping to achieve as an artist—good songs, lyrically and melodically. The guitar playing was top-notch, and the sound of Marc Bolan’s guitar was magical. A Les Paul and a Marshall blended perfectly with acoustic guitars.

The riffs were memorable and deadly, and Marc’s voice was the perfect icing on the cake. My favorite track was “The Slider” because the groove and mix were perfect. Of course, Tony Visconti also deserves credit for producing the piece of vinyl perfection.

The Song Remains the Same – Led Zeppelin (1973)

This record came at a very influential time in my life, visually and sonically. I spent many Friday nights at the midnight movies, witnessing Led Zeppelin’s mighty rock ‘n’ roll power. It is really a greatest hits package played live from NYC. The genius of Jimmy Page’s guitar playing against one of rock ‘n’ roll’s best rhythm sections really shines.

Of course, Robert Plant has a lot to sing about while leading them through the show. My favorite track was “The Rain Song” because Jimmy’s guitar chords reminded me of classical music that even I could understand. Jimmy Page became one of my favorite guitarists after this.

Alive! – Kiss (1975)

Alive! was one of the first records I bought. At such a young age, I didn’t think it was strange having a band wear makeup. The songs resonated with me and became my anthems during those impressionable years. I was already a Les Paul/Marshall guitarist by that point, and Ace Frehley, with his smoking guitar, set the bar high. His solos were memorable, and his tone was remarkable. “Strutter” was my favorite track.

Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars – David Bowie (1972)

Another Tony Visconti produced record. Every track is incredible, and there is no filler. Creativity and originality are the keys to this record. I had no idea what the lyrics were at the time I heard this, but it didn’t matter because the melodies and lyrics were poems. Another record that would not be legendary unless credit is given to Mick Ronson, who once again makes his Les Paul sing with his halfcocked Wah.

Give Them Enough Rope – The Clash (1978)

When I first heard this record, I decided The Clash was the perfect band—great songs and sound. Like The Beatles before them, every member is a key piece and contributes to their overall sound. Joe [Strummer]’s screams over the tribal bass and drums. Mick [Jone] ‘s melodic but nasty guitar ties it all together. They started as a punk band but matured quickly into an important rock band of their time. My favorite track is “Stay Free.”

The White Album – The Beatles (1968)

The White Album was playing while my daughter was born. It’s very hard to pick my favorite Beatles record ‘cuz they are all fantastic. The fact that two of the greatest songwriters of all time were in the same band says a lot, and George [Harrison] was pretty damn good himself. What I really love about The Beatles is that every musical part recorded was instrumental in the composition.

They played their instruments for the song. Something we, as musicians, can learn from them. When I was younger, I couldn’t tell who was singing ‘cuz their voices blended so well. I became a John [Lennon] guy because I resonated with the blues more as a guitarist. My favorite track is “Happiness is a Warm Gun.”

Sticky Fingers – The Rolling Stones (1971)

Sticky Fingers is a masterpiece. Mick Taylor and Keith [Richards] guitars are talking to each other throughout this record. Like The Beatles, it is hard to pick my favorite. Depending on my mood, I could say Exile on Main Street is my favorite one day and change my mind the next.

With tracks like “Wild Horses,” “Bitch,” “Sister Morphine,” and “Dead Flowers,” it’s just remarkable that they’re all on one record. The Open G-tuned “Brown Sugar” influenced many guitarists to change what they were doing and to try a five-string guitar, myself included.

I’m not sure how they accomplished making this record when they were doing so many drugs at that time, but you can’t argue with the results. “Wild Horses” is my favorite track, and I sang it to my wife at our wedding.

Tie between Tres Hombres and Degüello – ZZ Top (1973/1979)

There is something special about the three boys from Texas when they’re playing the blues. I’ll never forget putting in the 8-track of Degüello, turning up my car radio on full blast to “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” with the windows down, and cruising through my neighborhood.

I didn’t realize they were a blues band until I started to play guitar and fell for Billy Gibbons’ honky-tonking tone. I mean, how lucky was I that this record was the soundtrack of my youth? My favorite track is “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide.”

Desolation Boulevard – The Sweet (1974)

This record, along with T. Rex and Ziggy Stardust, was on rotation on my turntable for many years. The first band I joined was when I answered an ad that said, “Guitarist wanted. T. Rex, Bowie, and The Sweet influences.”

They [Sweet] were always described as glam rock, as were many of the bands around the same time, but the Sweet had a lot more to offer than their costumes. A couple of tunes on this have a progression rock twist to them. Versatility was the key with the Sweet. My favorite track on this record is “Hellraiser.”

Derringer Live – Rick Derringer (1977)

Derringer was my guitar idol for many years when I first started to play live shows. I saw him live many times, and this record really captured his talent as a songwriter, singer, and guitarist. I’ll never forget when I moved to California from Ohio, and everyone I met was telling me how great this local guitarist was named Eddie Van Halen. I said, “Yeah, he’s good, but he’s no Rick Derringer.” My favorite track is “Let Me In.”

Gilby Clarke, formerly of Guns N’ Roses: 10 Records That Changed My Life article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024

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